Chapter 2 Installing Windows Servers The Windows operating systems become easier to install as each new version is released. With the release of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server is easier to install than ever before. However, just because the installation process is easy, you must not forego planning and assume the installation engine will make all of the right decisions for you. Instead, you must plan the installation well, which includes choosing the right hardware and installation method. While the manual installation methods are much easier than they were in the past, Microsoft also provides many different automated and custom instal- lation methods. These methods are much more complex and require careful consideration and extensive knowledge to use them. In this chapter, you will learn about the different installation options and even see how to install Windows Server onto a virtual machine. In fact, you'll learn about all of these topics: Installation Options Upgrading Servers Using Server Core Working with Device Drivers Installation Options Several items must be considered when a new installation of Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 is planned. First, you must define the target of the installation or the installation destination. You can install to physical machines or virtual machines, so you must understand each of these desti- nation types. Second, you should understand the process of an interactive installation. An interactive installation is the typical install performed when